


i like to be here when i can.

by kiethkogane



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec is a time traveling detective, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Lots of dialogue, M/M, Magnus is immortal for some reason, also: this wasn't proofread or beta'd, jack the ripper is also mentioned so vague implied violence, mentions of hillary clinton and beyonce, sort of implied soulmates?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-12-01 12:13:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11486169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiethkogane/pseuds/kiethkogane
Summary: “Alec Lightwood,” He says, sliding into line next to him. "So we meet again."Alec grins, “What are you doing here, Magnus?”“Me?” Magnus asks, innocently. “I haven’t been doing anything this entire time. You have been jumping into my time period all this time.”





	i like to be here when i can.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first contribution to the Shadowhunters fandom. Shoutout to my friend Joanna for supporting me in writing this.

_ Manhattan, New York. July 11, 2017. 7:45 PM. _

 

“You mean it’s a time traveling device?”

 

“Well – more specifically it’s a speed accelerator but considering special relativity – ” Isabelle Lightwood cuts off looking at her brother who is staring back at her with an expression of confusion etched across his face. She sighs, “Yes, it’s a time traveling device.”

 

Alec Lightwood stares at the little wrist device on the table between him and his sister and furrows his brows in confusion. Where did it come from? Why did it end up at the door of the physics department of the New York Institute of Technology? Is it dangerous?

 

Izzy is still explaining the exact science behind the device, and while he admires his sister’s complete brilliance, none of the words coming out of her mouth make all that much sense to him. Eventually he cuts off her rambling and asks, “Do you think we can try it?”

 

“Possibly,” Izzy tells him, taking the little device and examining it closer. “At least one of us could try it at a time. It could be dangerous though.”

 

Alec nods. “Let’s try going back ten minutes.”

 

“That can’t hurt,” Izzy agrees. “I’ll run the tests from here and you put it on.”

 

Alec cranks up the little device and sets the time back to the same date, but ten minutes prior. With a flash, he feels his body accelerate at a unbelievable pace and the next thing he knows, he’s standing in Izzy’s laboratory and looking at a very confused Izzy who is staring back at him. She stutters, “You were just here – now you’re there. What is going on?”

 

He excitedly dangles the device between them. “It works, Iz. I just came back ten minutes.”

 

“No way,” She exclaims, eyes widening in excitement. “I wonder if my computer collected any data.”

 

Within a few minutes, Isabelle Lightwood’s computer started printing out data. She analyzed it while her brother paced excitedly. Eventually, she takes off her glasses (a sign that she is ready to present her hypothesis) and says, “Alec you could use this if you want – it’s just you need to return to this time period every three days. It’s your starting point, and if you change anything – well, it might change the future. So you have to be careful.”

 

“I can work with that,” Alec says, and cranks the device on.

 

*

 

_ Whitechapel, London. November 9, 1888. 12:15 AM. _

Alec Lightwood is a detective by day which is why he chose this precise location for his first trip through time.

 

Alec knows he’s decidedly not dressed appropriately for Victorian England, but considering he’s planning on staying in the shadows for the entire time, it shouldn’t be a problem. Theoretically at least. He hides in a dark alleyway, staring down a dark lit street. Jack the Ripper’s final canonical murder would take place within the hour according to scientific data and Alec  _ really  _ wants to know who is behind the mask. He remembers Izzy’s words, and knows that he can’t change anything without it changing the entire course of time. But at least, he would get an answer to history’s most famous unsolved crime.

 

It’s almost one in the morning when he hears shuffling. He’s about to follow the footsteps to where Jack the Ripper should be when someone grabs his arm. He quickly turns around to come face to face with another man who looks not much older than him. The man makes a shushing noise and Alec pauses.

 

After the shuffling stops, the man turns to face Alec. “You’re not from around here.”

 

“Are you – ” Alec starts, but pauses because he doesn’t know if talking to people in a time period would change the course of history. The second passing thought is that this man could be Jack the Ripper even though there’s something in his face that makes Alec believe that to be an impossibility.

 

The man shakes his head. “No, but you don’t want to know who is?”

 

Alec blinks. “Who  _ are  _ you?”

 

“Magnus,” The man – Magnus, tells him after a moment’s pause. Alec figured he was debating whether to give out that information or not. “Magnus Bane.”

 

“I’m Alec,” Alec says without thinking. Because there’s something magnetic about the way Magnus’s eyes twinkle in the moonlight, and there’s something –  _ something  _ that Alec can’t place that just draws him to the other man. Maybe he could help. Also, he doesn’t think Jack the Ripper would give out his identity to easily at the scene of the crime. “Uh – Lightwood. Alec Lightwood.”

 

“Alec?” Magnus asks, quirking an eyebrow. “That’s an unusual name.”

 

Alec almost wants to laugh, but he keeps his voice down. “It’s short for Alexander.”

 

“Alexander,” Magnus exclaims excitedly. “I quite like that.”

 

Alec flushes. “Uh thanks?”

 

“So, Alexander,” Magnus looks around to make sure they’re still alone. “You’re not from around here.”

 

Alec shakes his head. “I’m from New York – I’m a detective, and I came here on a mission.”

 

Technically he’s not lying, but Magnus is looking at him strangely. Almost like he’s studying Alec. “So you’re here to catch Jack the Ripper?’”

 

“Kind of,” Alec says. He debates whether he should come clean but stops. “I just want to know who they are.”

 

Magnus quirked a brow. “And you came to this exact location expecting to find that answer?”

 

“Uh, well.” Alec starts and realizes he has no answer for that. He sighs, “You’re not going to believe me, but I’m from the future.”

 

Magnus gives him a lookover, eyes still searching for an answer to a question that Alec doesn’t know. Magnus smiles slightly, “You’d be surprised what I’ve seen around here. I believe you, Alexander.”

 

Something about the way Magnus tells him that he believes him makes Alec flush. He swallows hard, trying to suppress the emotions bubbling under. He explains, “So I’m here on a curiosity mission. I  _ can’t  _ catch him – or, her. But I want to know.”

 

“And so you will,” Magnus says as he takes hold of Alec’s arm and leads him down another alleyway. “I’m going to help you. You see – I need to catch this killer as well.”

 

Alec blinks. “So you’re a detective?”

 

“No,” Magnus shrugs. “Something about not being the right color for her majesty Victoria might have something to do with that though.”

 

Alec flinches. Right, he’s in Victorian London. Magnus doesn’t wait for a response from him and continues, “I have reason to believe that this killer killed someone I know.”

 

“There’s been five murders so far,” Alec says, though it comes out more of a question. “You were friends with the victims?”

 

“No,” Magnus tells him as they climb up a stairwell. Alec muses that these Victorian buildings are a fire safety hazard. Magnus continues, “Let’s just say it’s more of an off the books kind of murder.”

 

Alec stops. “Magnus, level with me here. Do you know who Jack the Ripper is?”

 

Magnus looks like he’s debating something. Alec worries that he’s not going to get anything out of him when Magnus speaks up. “Jack the Ripper is a man that goes by the name of Valentine Morgenstern.”

 

Alec chokes on his own breath. “How do you know him?”

 

“I don’t,” Magnus says, with a slight shrug. He goes back to looking like he wants to give Alec more information or not, but before Alec can beg – Magnus says, “He’s a dangerous man who holds some dangerous views. And this is an area of London that is very dear to me, and there are a lot of people here that don’t fit his narrow views on life, and they’re in danger.”

 

Alec feels his heart race. He croaks, “I’m here to help.”

 

“That’s what I was hoping for,” Magnus positively beams at him, and Alec can feel his face turning red. He’s grateful that the moonlight isn’t all that illuminating. “Come on, Alexander.”

 

They don’t have much time though because they hear a shriek in the night, and the next thing they know, they’re chasing after a hooded figure through the dark streets of Whitechapel, London in the middle of the night. Izzy’s words about not changing anything ring through his mind, but seeing the fire in Magnus’s face at having to catch this killer makes it all worth the risk. Alec picks up the pace and follows Magnus who is running after Jack the Ripper to the wharf.

 

The sun is rising when Alec looks out into the open waterway. On a passenger ship leading out of London, there’s a hooded figure. He turns to Magnus. In the light of the early morning, Alec can finally look at the other man’s face. Magnus has a look of utter pain on his face, and Alec wants to reach out and comfort him in any way. But as quickly as the expression crossed his face, it disappeared. Magnus turns to him and gives him a small smile. “Alas, we were too slow.”

 

“We can follow him,” Alec says, quickly. “We can get the next boat out of here.”

 

Magnus shakes his head. “No, tell me. When is his next victim?”

 

“Actually,” Alec thinks about it. “Actually, this might be the last one. There’s a few murders in the early parts of the next year, but it’s usually attributed to other people.”

 

Magnus sighs. “At least he doesn’t hurt another innocent soul, again.”

 

They go back to find the victim, but they’re too late.

 

*

 

_ Manhattan, New York. July 11, 2017. 7:45 PM. _

 

Alec returns to Izzy’s lab with a flash, and his sister gapes at him when he returns. She asks, “How did it go?”

 

“Terrifying,” Alec says, plopping down onto the couch in the corner of the room. “Jack the Ripper is some guy named Valentine Morgenstern.”

 

Izzy looks surprised at that. “Huh – what a name. He wasn’t in any of the books I read.”

 

“Yeah,” Alec says, absentmindedly. He thinks back to the crushed look on Magnus’s face when they couldn’t catch him. He briefly debates whether he should go back to any of the copycat murders to try and catch Valentine.  _ Or find Magnus _ , he thinks. But that’s not realistic. Who even knows if Magnus would still be in London at a different time? Not to mention Alec had no way of contacting him. It would be a wild goose chase at best.

 

“Okay, spill. Something is bothering you.” Izzy says, bringing him out of his thoughts.

 

Alec shakes his head. “Nothing – I just saw a guy in London. He was – ”

 

Alec trails off trying to find a word to describe Magnus. Handsome? Definitely. Charming? Sure. Amazing? Incredible?

 

“ _ Magical,”  _ Alec finishes. Izzy quirks a brow questioningly. Alec shrugs, “I mean he’s long dead now, isn’t he?”

 

Izzy doesn’t answer. She just shoots him a sympathetic grin.

 

*

 

_ Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands. April 21, 1934. 2:00 PM. _

 

After the last mission, Alec decides to go for something lighter. Besides, a vacation to the Scottish Highlands is something he’s always wanted to do, and why not find out more about the monster that’s supposedly residing in the Loch. Not that Alec believes in cryptids or the supernatural, but why not?

 

He expects tourists. After all, the “Surgeon’s Photograph” was just released and everyone and their dogs would want to see what all the fuss is about. What he doesn’t expect is the sight in front of him. Sitting on the edge of the Loch is a man that looks familiar. Except the impossibility of it makes Alec pause. Besides, he got lucky last time and didn’t change anything major in the time loop (Hillary Clinton had won the 2016 election, but that was something the world rejoiced – so you know, it’s a change worth making) but he’s not sure he should risk it this time around.

 

But his curiosity gets the better of him. “Um excuse me sir – are you related to a Mr. Magnus Bane from Whitechapel?”

 

“Alexander,” The man drawls and there’s no mistake. It’s Magnus. “So you’re taking another time hopping trip, huh?”

 

Alec blinks. This is  _ impossible _ . He stutters, “Mag – Magnus?”

 

“The one and only,” Magnus grins at him and Alec can’t even deny that his heart thinks it’s a gymnast with the flips it’s making. But he’s still stuck on the  _ how _ . Magnus for his part turns back to the loch in front of them. “You came looking for old Nessie, huh?”

 

“How?” Alec splutters, not answering the question posed to him. “How? You haven’t aged a day.”

 

Magnus’s grin doesn’t falter. “Would you believe an amazing skincare routine?”

 

Alec doesn’t say anything to that. He doesn’t think he could. So, Magnus sighs and gestures vaguely in front of him. “Would you believe I’m immortal?”

 

Somehow that seems more plausible, but Alec is at a loss for words. Magnus looks like he’s going to say something else, but Alec has something he needs to get off his chest. “Magnus, I’m so sorry that Valentine got away in London. I was going to go back and try to find him, but  - ”

 

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Magnus waves him off. “I caught him in Bradford. A group of vampires helped me out, and he’s not going to hurt anyone else. I can guarantee you that.”

 

Alec is relieved and he’s about to say that, but then something else catches his attention. “Uh, I’m sorry. Did you say  _ vampires? _ ”

 

“Sure did,” Magnus says, brightly. “Alexander, now that you’re here – would you like to come have a scone with me? My friend Ragnor just opened a delightful little bakery.”

 

Alec has a million questions for Magnus, but he's too busy saying  _ yes  _ to ask any of them . A million times yes. He’s nodding quicker than the words in his head reach his mouth. Magnus chuckles and leads the way. As they’re walking towards the bakery, Magnus says, “Forget old Nessie. She’s not real. That surgeon forged the picture.”

 

Alec totally forgot he was even in Scotland for the Loch Ness Monster.

 

*

_ Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands. April 21, 1934. 5:00 PM. _

 

The scones were nice, but Alec decides that Magnus Bane was significantly nicer. Magnus tells him about his adventures in London, and his travels. Alec listens to stories of Japan and Morocco and that one little cottage on the west coast of Ireland. Magnus asks him about New York, and Alec doesn’t know what to say. His life is hardly as interesting – before now, anyways.

 

“I usually spend all my time working,” Alec tells him. “My brother and I run a private investigation company out of his apartment in Brooklyn. My sister helps with forensics sometimes. It’s alright – it’s hardly Marrakech.”

 

Magnus waves him off. “A magnificent city, but tell me more about this private investigation business you run.”

 

Alec shrugs. There isn’t much to say. “It’s mostly wives trying to catch their cheating husbands, and wealthy business people trying to get away with tax evasion, really.”

 

“I see human kind as a whole doesn’t change much in the future,” Magnus muses.

 

Alec wonders what will happen when he goes back. For all he knows, telling Magnus all this might mean none of this is even true. A paradox that hurts his brain. “You know, I really shouldn’t be telling you all this. It could change time.”

 

“Relax H.G Wells,” Magnus waves him off. “I’m sure nothing drastic will happen if you tell me.”

 

_ Famous last words,  _ Alec thinks. But something about the easy smile Magnus throws his way makes Alec forget about the risks. He continues telling Magnus about energy efficient cars – a topic that he often brings up at parties much to the groans of everyone around him. Magnus, on the other hand, listens with curious eyes and an affectionate smile.

 

*

 

_ Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands. April 23, 1934. 1:00 PM. _

 

Alec’s device buzzes signaling that there’s only an hour left on his three day time window. He’s sitting with Magnus on the lakefront enjoying the view (Is the view the lake? Magnus? Both? Alec decides on option B.)

 

Magnus eyes him curiously. He still has the same expression he did in Whitechapel all those years ago. Like he’s searching for an answer to a question that he can’t tell Alec about. After a long, comfortable silence, Magnus says, “Is that your time machine? It’s a lot smaller than I expected.”

 

Alec sighs, “Yeah. I think it's my signal to go home.”

 

“Oh,” Magnus says, slowly. Alec thinks he might be imagining the disappointment in Magnus’s voice.

 

Alec rushes to explain. “I only have three days at any particular time spot, and then I have to go home.”

 

“Right – I understand,” Magnus says, getting to his feet. He looks like he wants to say something, but whatever it is doesn’t come. Instead, he offers a hand to Alec to help him up, and Alec accepts it. “Maybe we’ll meet again, Alexander.”

 

“I hope so,” Alec agrees. Oh how he hopes.

 

*

 

_ Manhattan, New York. July 11, 2017. 7:45 PM _

 

“Izzy!”

 

Izzy looks at where Alec returns with another flash with a grin. She puts down her tablet and says, “Beyonce was just named the new secretary of state.”

 

Okay, that definitely didn’t happen the last time Alec was in New York, but you know what? Nobody in their damn mind could complain about that. He doesn’t wait for another update from Izzy because he says, “I saw Magnus again.”

 

Izzy blinks. “Magnus?”

 

Oh right. Time. Alec quickly flips the little recorder that comes with the watch that allows Izzy to relive their last moment here. Once she finishes watching it, she’s looking at him with wide eyes. “That’s impossible. There’s a chance he would be alive, but not at the same age.”

 

“He says he’s immortal,” Alec explains, and Izzy looks at him weirdly. “Yeah, I  _ know _ . But something about the way he said it made me want to believe him.”

 

Izzy shrugs. “I mean stranger things have happened.”

 

“I wonder if I’ll ever see him again,” Alec muses. Because that? He would like that.

 

Izzy grins at him. “For all you know, he lives in Brooklyn now.”

 

_ That would be some coincidence,  _ Alec thinks.

 

*

 

_ San Francisco, California. October 11, 1970. 4:30 PM. _

 

Alec’s detective heart gets the better of him which is why he’s taking a trip back to San Francisco. While catching the Zodiac Killer would change everything in terms of history, nothing could truly go wrong with finding out some information, right? That way he could tip of the local police in his time. With any luck, the killer is still alive in 2017.

 

Turns out that the time traveling device can go wrong once in a while, and Alec finds himself in the right location. Just a year too late. He debates whether he should reset the watch and try to get to the next time the killer strikes even though those later killings were deemed copycat killings. The fact is that the risks of altering history are too great, and he’s in San Francisco. He might as well take advantage of that instead.

 

Alec gets onto a bus and immediately comes face to face with a face that he definitely didn’t expect to be in California in the 1960s.

 

“Oh, Alexander.” Magnus croons from his seat on the bus, and Alec slides in next to him. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were stalking me.”

 

Alec blushes while his brain decides to short circuit at that precise moment. “Uh, hi?”

 

“Hi yourself,” Magnus tells him, happily. “What brings you to San Francisco?”

 

“The Zodiac Killer,” Alec explains. He looks out the bus window at the scenery. He points to his little wrist device. “But turns out that this thing can go haywire sometimes, and I ended up a year too late.”

 

Magnus eyes the device. “How does this thing even work?”

 

“My sister is the scientist in the family,” Alec says, trying to remember some of the stuff Izzy told him. “She’s back home collecting data.”

 

Magnus shrugs, “I’m not big on science myself. The arts are much better, anyways.”

 

Alec makes an agreeable noise. Magnus points out of the window. “But alas, you’re in San Francisco for three days now, aren’t you?”

 

“Keeping count are we?” Alec teases, relaxing into his conversation with Magnus.

 

Magnus’s eyes twinkle. “You’re a hard face to forget, Alexander.”

 

Alec chokes on air. He croaks, “You too.”

 

He mentally wants to slap himself at his lack of smoothness, but Magnus just chuckles. “So, I’m assuming you need a tour guide to show you around the city?”

 

Alec didn’t need one before. He definitely needs one now.

 

*

 

_ San Francisco, California. October 13, 1970. 3:15 PM. _

 

They get ice cream on a pier, and they’re updating each other on everything that’s happened since the last time they’ve met. For Alec, it’s Beyonce becoming secretary of state – something that makes no sense to Magnus, but the other man is supportive of the future Beyonce Knowles. For Magnus, it’s meeting Elvis.

 

“No way,” Alec says, shaking his head. A little bit of ice cream drips down his chin which he wipes away quickly. “There is no way you’re pen pals with Jimi Hendrix.”

 

Magnus scoffs. “Alexander, you believed I’m immortal without a second question. And yet, me and Jimi Hendrix can’t be pen pals? I’m hurt.”

 

“Okay yeah,” Alec says. “About that – are you going to tell me how that’s possible? And vampires? Really?”

 

Magnus gets a glint in his eye when he says, “Not yet.”

 

This gets Alec’s attention. He’s about to ask a follow up question, but Magnus shakes his head. He’s still wearing an amused look on his face, but Alec knows he’s not going to get any more answers regarding that. Instead he asks, “And vampires?”

 

“Oh that,” Magnus waves him off. “Don’t worry about that. My ex-girlfriend Camille ran a nighttime troupe of vigilantes. I just called them the vampires.”

 

Alec doesn’t know what to believe. He wants to ask a million more questions. He wants to spend hours, days, weeks,  _ years  _ asking Magnus questions, but when his device signals that it’s time to go home, Alec groans. Magnus gives him a knowing look. “Until next time, I suppose.”

 

“Until next time,” Alec promises.

 

*

 

_ Manhattan, New York. July 11, 2017. 7:45 PM. _

 

“Izzy. IZZY.”

 

Izzy is half asleep at her computer screen when he returns this time. She wakes up with a  sudden jolt and gives him a sleepy smile. “Welcome back.”

 

“You have to see this,” Alec says, urgently. He boots up the recording from last time to help Izzy get up to date on each of his time jumps. Once she’s sufficiently up to date, he’s gushing. “So the watch took me a year later than I intended and Magnus was there. And he looked the same as he did when we met in London even though that was almost hundred years before. So he might be telling the truth.”

 

Izzy blinks. “Or he has another time device thing?”

 

“No,” Alec shakes his head. “He didn’t know how this thing worked. And I believe him.”

 

He says the last bit with enough fire to make Izzy step back and scrutinize him. Eventually she grins, “Well then, Romeo. He might be around now somewhere.”

 

Alec’s heart swells at that, but then something hits him. “I have no way of finding him.”

 

“Something tells me that won’t be too much of a problem,” Izzy says with a  twinkle in her eyes. Then her face gets serious. “But Alec, I’m going to need you to not use the device anymore.”

 

Alec furrows his brows in confusion. “Why?”

 

“Because you got transported to the wrong time,” Izzy explains. “That’s too dangerous. You can’t risk it.”

 

Alec has to admit that’s true. With a sigh, he hands the watch back to Izzy. With some luck, Magnus Bane exists in this time as well.

 

*

 

_ Brooklyn, New York. July 12, 2017. 7:35 AM. _

 

Alec waits in line at Starbucks idly watching Hillary Clinton give her state of the union address on the television. All the time traveling has taken a toll on Alec, and he’s exhausted. Unfortunately he has too many cases, and as New York’s number one private eye, he’s sure that he can’t get away with procrastinating. So, his plan is to heavily caffeinate himself and pray for the best.

 

“Tall White Chocolate Mocha for Magnus,” The Barista at the counter calls out and Alec thinks he’s hit with massive whiplash at the speed he turns around.

 

Surely there’s other Magnuses in the world. His luck can’t be  _ that  _ amazing. But, there’s a higher power on his side because he comes face to face with the one and only Magnus Bane who shoots him a grin.

 

“Alec Lightwood,” He says, sliding into line next to him. "So we meet again."

 

Alec grins, “What are you doing here, Magnus?”

 

“Me?” Magnus asks, innocently. “I haven’t been doing anything this entire time.  _ You  _ have been jumping into my time period all this time.”

 

Alec admits that much is true. Once he gets his coffee, he leads Magnus outside. He asks, “You live in Brooklyn now?”

 

“I own the loft in that building over there,” Magnus says, pointing to a building in the distance. Alec is impressed to say the least. “I must admit – ”

 

“Are you going to tell me how you’re immortal?” Alec blurts out. He’s been curious for many, many years. Though in reality, it’s only been a  _ day. _

 

Magnus’s eyes crinkle when he laughs -  a sound that Alec will never tire of. “Well, actually. I’m not immortal anymore. It’s a long story – but, maybe I could tell you it over dinner? Tonight at 7?”

 

Alec nods quickly, not caring if he comes off as too eager. “Yeah, uh. Let me give you my number.”

 

“It’s a date, Alexander.”

 

_ It’s a date.  _ Alec might overthink this once he has the time to overthink, but right now, he can’t stop grinning. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> 1\. It's not in the fic but I kinda wanted to go for Magnus had to meet Alec in his own time period and that's what breaks an immortality spell he was under. 
> 
> 2\. I love the idea of Magnus traveling the entire world and meeting pop/rock stars. Which is basically canon, but those bits were 100% self indulgent.


End file.
